Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ruth 4

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  Boaz calls into judgment the next kinsman.
6  He refuses the redemption according to the manner in Israel.
9  Boaz buys the inheritance.
11  He marries Ruth.
13  She bears Obed, the grandfather of David.
18  The generations of Pharez unto David.
Verse 1

Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
to the gate
Deuteronomy 16:18, 17:5, 21:19, 25:7, Job 29:7, 31:21, Amos 5:10-12,15
the kinsman
3:12
Ho, such
Isaiah 55:1, Zechariah 2:6
Verse 2

And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
the elders
Exodus 18:21,22, 21:8, Deuteronomy 29:10, 31:28, 1 Kings 21:8, Proverbs 31:23, Lamentations 5:14, Acts 6:12
Verse 3

And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:
he said
Psalms 112:5, Proverbs 13:10
Verse 4

And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
I thought
Heb. I said I will reveal in thine ear. Buy it.
Jeremiah 32:7-9,25, Romans 12:17, 2 Corinthians 8:21, Philippians 4:8
before the inhabitants
Genesis 23:18, Jeremiah 32:10-12
for there is none
Leviticus 25:25-29
Verse 5

Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
What day
Or rather, according to the emendations proposed by Houbigant and Dr. Kennicott, and which have been confirmed by a great many MSS. since collated, and agreeably to the ancient versions, "In the day thou purchasest the land from the hand of Naomi, thou wilt also acquire Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of the dead," etc. This is Boaz's statement of the case to his kinsman, before the people and elders.
to raise up
3:12,13, Genesis 38:8, Deuteronomy 25:5,6, Matthew 22:24, Luke 20:28
Verse 6

And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.
I cannot
The Targum seems to give the proper sense of this passage: "I cannot redeem it, because I have a wife already; and it is not fit for me to bring another into my house, lest brawling and contention arise in it; and lest I hurt my own inheritance. Do thou redeem it, for thou has no wife; which hinders me from redeeming it."
Verse 7

Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.
a man plucked off
This custom does not refer to the law about refusing to marry a brother's widow, but was usual in the transfer of inheritances: for this relative was not a brother, but simply a kinsman; and the shoe was not pulled off by Ruth, but by the kinsman himself. The Targumist, instead of his shoe, renders "his right hand glove," it probably being the custom, in his time, to give that instead of a shoe. Jarchi says, "When we purchase any thing new, it is customary to give, instead of a shoe, a handkerchief or veil."
Deuteronomy 25:7-10
Verse 9

And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
Ye are witnesses
Genesis 23:16-18, Jeremiah 32:10-12
Verse 10

Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
have I
Genesis 29:18,19,27, Proverbs 18:22, 19:14, 31:10,11, Hosea 3:2, 12:12, Ephesians 5:25
the name
Deuteronomy 25:6, Joshua 7:9, Psalms 34:16, 109:15, Isaiah 48:19, Zechariah 13:2
ye are witnesses
Isaiah 8:2,3, Malachi 2:14, Hebrews 13:4
Verse 11

And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
the Lord
Genesis 24:60, Psalms 127:3-5, 128:3-6
Rachel
Genesis 29:32-35, 30:1-24, 35:16-20, 46:8-27, Numbers 26:1-65
build
Deuteronomy 25:9, Proverbs 14:1
do thou worthily
or, get thee riches, or power. Ephratah.
1:2, Genesis 35:16,19, Psalms 132:6, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:6
be famous
Heb. proclaim thy name.
Verse 12

And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.
the house
Genesis 46:12, Numbers 26:20-22
whom
Genesis 38:29, 1 Chronicles 2:4, Matthew 1:3
of the seed
1 Samuel 2:20
Verse 13

So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.
A. M. 2697. B.C. 1307. An. Ex. Is. 184. Boaz
3:11
the Lord
12, Genesis 20:17,18, 21:1-3, 25:21, 29:31, 30:2,22,23, 33:5, 1 Samuel 1:27, 2:5, Psalms 113:9, 127:3
Verse 14

And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.
the women
Luke 1:58, Romans 12:15, 1 Corinthians 12:26
Blessed
Genesis 29:35, Psalms 34:1-3, 103:1,2, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, 2 Thessalonians 1:3
which hath
Genesis 24:27
left thee
Heb. caused to cease unto thee. kinsman, or, redeemer. that his.
21,22, Genesis 12:2, Isaiah 11:1-4, Matthew 1:5-20
Verse 15

And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
a nourisher, etc
Heb. to nourish thy grey hairs.
Genesis 45:11, 47:12, Psalms 55:22, Isaiah 46:4
for thy
1:16-18
better
1 Samuel 1:8, Proverbs 18:24
Verse 17

And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
the women
Luke 1:58-63
Obed
That is, [douleuon] serving, or a servant, as Josephus interprets it.
Verse 18

Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
Pharez
1 Chronicles 2:4-8, 4:1, Matthew 1:3, Luke 3:33
Phares, Esrom
Verse 19

And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
begat Ram
1 Chronicles 2:9,10, Matthew 1:4, Luke 3:33
Aram, Aminadab
Verse 20

And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
Nahshon
Numbers 1:7, Matthew 1:4, Luke 3:32
Naasson
Salmon. or, Samlah.
Verse 21

And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
Salmon
1 Chronicles 2:11
Salma
Matthew 1:5, Luke 3:32
and Boaz
1 Chronicles 2:12, Matthew 1:5, Luke 3:32
Booz
Verse 22

And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
Jesse
1 Samuel 16:1, Isaiah 11:1
David
1 Chronicles 2:15, Matthew 1:6, Luke 3:31

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